Magnetic dart game with interchangeable game targets

ABSTRACT

A magnetic dart game. Darts are formed with a strong magnet portion in the front instead of a metal point. The front of the darts includes an impact or an elastomeric impact stop, which absorbs the force from the dart hitting the board, facilitating the dart sticking on the board in the location where it hits. The board is also magnetic and includes a magnetic vinyl printed section that contains the game board or target, which is used to play the game. This target can be changed to play either the games provided with the product or those designed and printed by the consumer. The dart system is formed with magnetic legs which are removable and also a magnetic scorer, with a portion of the scorer that moves up and down on a paddle, thus enabling the score to be kept magnetically.

BACKGROUND

Dart games are typically played by throwing a metal pointed dart towards a target. Darts can be an inherently dangerous game because of that pointed metal tip.

Versions of dart games have darts without points. However, it is difficult to keep darts in the exact spot on the target where the dart hits, when the dart does not have a point that can penetrate the target.

Versions of dart games have very similar targets, typically only support indoor gameplay, and only allow the player to play one game type for the life of the product.

SUMMARY

The present application describes a dart game that uses magnetic darts, where that dart game is modified in way that facilitates using non-metal-pointed magnetic darts.

An embodiment describes a dart game where the target is held at a shallow angle, and a special magnetic dart is thrown at the target. The magnetic dart has a strong magnet part, which holds to a magnetic susceptible material on the target. In addition, the dart includes a shock absorbing part, which absorbs shock of being thrown, thus facilitating maintaining the magnetic dart part in the exact position where it lands on the target.

In embodiments, the target part, which catches the magnetic dart, is interchangeable with other targets, to allow different games to be played by interchanging the target part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a basic layout of the dart game, showing the target propped up on legs to form a shallow angle, and the magnetic darts;

FIG. 2 shows a side on cross-sectional view of the dart game;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4 shows a front on view of the dart game board;

FIG. 5 shows a close-up in the detail B area of FIG. 2 , showing details of how the legs attach to the back of the target assembly;

FIG. 6 shows details of the dart;

FIG. 6B shows a detail of the front of the dart;

FIG. 7 shows the detachable leg which attaches to the target;

FIG. 7B shows a detail of the attachment portion of the detachable leg;

FIG. 8 shows an alternative target part for the dart game;

FIG. 9A shows a score keeping element;

FIG. 9B shows the scorekeeper guide that is used with the scorekeeper element of FIG. 9A; and

FIG. 9C shows the scorekeeper with two scorekeeping parts attached.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The basic dart game is shown in perspective in FIG. 1 . A magnetic dart board is formed of a main board 100 which is held at a shallow angle by a pair of support leg assemblies.

The support legs are attached to an area at the back of the mainboard 100, near the “top” of the mainboard 100. The support legs 101 have a length to hold the board 100 at a shallow angle, preferably between 10° and 45° relative to horizontal. The board 100 has a front surface which displays a game layout.

The game layout is interchangeable as described herein. The game layout forms a target that receives the dart assemblies 7. The gameboard also has a handle portion 105 at the top of the gameboard, which facilitates carrying the gameboard.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view of the gameboard, showing the board 100, the handle 105, and the legs 4 attached to the rear of the board. Two dart assemblies 7, 7′ are magnetically attached to the front surface 200 of the board 100. The legs 4 end in leg stoppers 4A, which may be rubber coverings on the end of the plastic leg.

A cross-section of the gameboard 100, along the line 3-3, is shown in FIG. 3 . The gameboard itself is formed of a structural main board, 24″×24″ in this embodiment, 1 formed of wood or plastic, for example ABS plastic. This portion may be the structural portion, and may have a thickness of ¼ to ½ inch. The main board 1 is covered with a thinner layer of a magnetic susceptible material, for example a steel plate layer 2. The steel plate layer itself is covered with a printable final magnetic sheet 3. This can be a vinyl magnetic-backed sheet which is printed with the target for the specific game that is played. The magnetic sheet 3 can be interchanged, since it will magnetically attract to the steel plate 2. FIG. 4 illustrates a family gameboard. FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative game sheet 800, for example a drinking game which may be less appropriate for use in a family setting. In analogous ways, other different game sheets can be substituted for the one gameboard and consumers can develop and print their own targets in an open-source format.

The legs 4 can be attached and detached from the rear of the gameboard. FIG. 5 illustrates how a leg support plate 6 attaches to the back portion of the structural layer 1 of the mainboard 100, and holds the leg in place. In embodiments, the legs can be fixed or removable; however in an embodiment the legs are removable as described herein.

The dart assembly is shown in detail in FIG. 6 . The dart has a special form as described herein and shown in detail in FIGS. 6 and 6B. The dart has a center of gravity at the point 633, between 1 and 1¼″ from the front of the dart. The dotted lines down the center of the dart shown as 634 display hidden lines to show that the dart has a counter bore down its center. This reduces the weight of the dart, and allows moving the center of gravity forward, to provide better flight.

This provides an optimal trajectory to the dart. The total weight of the dart is also preferably less than ⅛ of a pound to ensure a proper balance between the gameplay and safety. These features, when combined together, enables these darts to absorb the force from their being thrown, which facilitates the darts staying in place on the board surface after they land. Also, because the board is maintained at an angle of 45° or less, there is less downward force on the dart after it lands, again helping the dart stay in place where it lands.

The dart 7 includes a shaft portion 600, ending in a front portion 605 which has a front area 610. The front surface 621 of the front area 610 of the dart actually hits against the front surface 200 of the mainboard. The rear portion 615 of the dart assembly has thin sections such as 620 which facilitate the aerodynamic features of the dart assembly, and assist in the dart flying in a forward direction. The dotted lines 7A show where the magnet sits in the tip of the dart.

In an embodiment, the dart can be 7.36 inches from the rear end 620 to the front surface 621. The front surface itself can have a diameter of 1 inch.

The area 650 is very important since it facilitates in absorbing the force from the dart assembly after it is thrown. It is sized to get the correct balance of impact resistance and magnetic attraction. This is shown in further detail in FIG. 6B.

A strong magnet, such as a rare-earth magnet area 7 a is bonded into a counter-bored section of the dart and is covered with an impact stop 7B formed of rubber or other elastomeric material. The impact stop may be, for example, approximately 1/16^(th) of an inch in thickness. The rubber impact stop may also have beveled edges. The elastomeric material absorbs the energy that is created when the moving dart hits the immovable board, thus assisting the dart in sticking to the board rather than bouncing and losing its location.

The rubber impact stop absorbs the energy from the dart's movement when it comes into contact with the relatively immovable surface 200 of the main board.

In an embodiment, the leg assembly 4 is covered with a press fit rubber stopper 700 as shown in FIG. 7 . The opposite end from the rubber stopped end is labeled as 710. FIG. 7B shows how the end 710 includes a rare-earth magnet 720 under the surface of the end 710. This rare-earth magnet 720 is bonded into the end 710 to allow the leg to be magnetically attached to the metal plate 6 that is bonded to the main board.

An embodiment also uses a magnetic scoring system shown in FIGS. 9A through 9C. FIG. 9A shows how the scoring system which has a first scoring side 900 and a second scoring side 902 allowing keeping score for both people at once or two game participants at once, each participant being scored on an opposite side of the device.

The device is formed of a paddle shaped portion 910. Each side of the paddle shaped portion 910 includes a metal strip 901 which is bonded into a groove in the side, and thus there is a metal strip 901 on each side.

A score guide magnet 950 is shown in FIG. 9B. The score guide 950 shown in FIG. 9B fits over each side of the paddle shaped portion 910. There is a metal strip 901 on each side of the paddle shaped portion 910, and a corresponding magnet portion 952 in the score guide 950. The magnet portion holds against the metal strip 901 which allows the score guide to be held in place, but moved up and down on paddle shaped portion. The score guide also has opening 954, and this opening is placed over different locations in the paddle shaped portion to expose different numbers in the paddle shaped portion and hence different scores.

FIG. 9C shows the scoring paddle 910 with score guides 960 and 970, which are held into place magnetically, and expose the score.

The score guides 960, 970 are reversible, with the score guide 960 shown in FIG. 9C showing the small window opening on the score so that small windows shows only the end digit. The score guide 970 in FIG. 9C is oriented in the opposite direction where the larger window is shown 954 that shows both digits. This allows the complete score from 0 to 21 to be displayed while only requiring the digits 10-21 to be on the paddle, hence minimizing the paddle's size.

In an embodiment, this is an outside game with the two targets being 2 foot square targets, spaced approximately 18 feet apart, played like a beanbag game.

Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A game system comprising: a board, having a flat surface, the flat surface being of a magnetic attractable material, and the flat surface having a game design thereon; a leg system, propping up a first side of the board, such that the board is at an angle less than 45° relative to the horizontal; and a dart assembly, having a front surface that is flat and holds against the flat surface of the board, the flat surface having an impact stop section, formed of an elastomeric portion which is sized to receive the force from throwing the dart, the dart assembly having a strong magnet under the elastomeric surface, and having an aerodynamic portion in a rear portion of the dart assembly, where the dart assemblies are thrown against the flat surface of the board and stick to the flat surface of the board by virtue of an attraction between the strong magnet and the magnetic attractable material of the board.
 2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the leg system includes a pair of legs which are attached to the board magnetically and can be removed from the board magnetically.
 3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the flat surface of the board includes a magnetic printed vinyl sheet which shows the game design, wherein the magnetic printed vinyl sheet is removable and replaceable on the board, which allows an infinite number of games (Provided and user-defined) to be played on the same basic system.
 4. The system as in claim 3, wherein the board includes a structural layer, a magnetic tractable layer formed over the structural layer, and the magnetic printed vinyl sheet attached to the magnetic tractable layer and held thereon.
 5. The system as in claim 1, wherein the impact stop section is between −⅛ and ¼ of an inch in thickness.
 6. The system as in claim one, wherein the strong magnet is a rare-earth magnet.
 7. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a magnetic scorer, formed of a paddle with magnetic tractable sections on its edges, and a magnetic guide which fits over the first and 2nd edges, and includes openings therein, where the openings are located to a location on the paddle which indicates a score, and are held at that location on the paddle by the magnetic by the attraction between the magnetic guide and the magnetic attractable portion. 